Dream Con logo, DreamCon.com
Dream Con 2025 came to my hometown, Houston, Texas, from May 30th to June 1st. It is the largest and fastest growing Black-owned anime and gaming convention in the United States where Blerds can celebrate and indulge in their love for anime, cosplaying, gaming, sports, film, music, pop culture and more. I consider it a blessing to have partaken in that moment of Black joy dripping in Black Excellence. I walked away from Dream Con with something I never expected to encounter: healing. That’s probably the last thing you expected me to say, right?
I’ve been to other music, anime, and cultural conventions before, but this was my first Blerd convention. It wasn’t the dizzying levels of creativity that went into each cosplay outfit surrounding me at every turn. Nor was it the many spontaneous dance breaks in the middle of the convention halls that managed to tear down the shell protecting my closely guarded secret. The thing that created heaven for me was the feeling of absolute acceptance that washed over me from the moment I stepped through the doors of George R. Brown Convention Center. The atmosphere was so electrifying that I had to take a moment to breathe as my eyes soaked in wave after wave of smiling, happy Black people admiring one another and interacting freely as nerds. For three days, I traversed through the convention halls across three floors engaging in as many activities as time would allow. By the time I plopped down in my car at the end of day three, all of the guards I previously had up had been thoroughly thrashed. I had found my tribe. More importantly, I had received the permission that it’s OK to be a Blerd that my inner child always so desperately craved.
Why is this important?
Blerd is simply a unisex term used to describe Black people who are also nerds. We share the same appreciation and adoration for our chosen topics as anyone else. Similar to other nerd communities, that appreciation and adoration can sometimes also be a source of hurt for us. Moreover, that pain often comes from the people closest to us. When I was young, living in a Black community, being a nerd was fine, but only smart nerds were truly accepted since that usually produced positive rewards. I have always loved watching animation and was even interested in cosplaying at one time. However, being a nerd that enjoys dressing up as a cartoon character or even watching cartoons past a certain age was deemed childish and weird. Like most people, the last thing I wanted to be described as was weird. Added to that, things like anime and cosplaying were shunned in many Black communities because it wasn’t considered a “Black thing” to do. And this doesn’t even include how utterly unwelcoming many nerd communities have always been towards Blerds. Life was hard enough. I wasn’t going to add to it just because I liked cartoons. It was just easier to hide my interests deep in my heart rather than face ridicule from family, friends, and even strangers. Attending Dream Con was basically me finally allowing myself to acknowledge this love publically. Being able to do so without having to explain my interests, deny a desire to be some other race, or accept being “othered” in some way was like releasing a boulder from my chest. No one cared whether or not I only wore an anime shirt but didn’t cosplay. They were just happy to be there, doing their thing. No one noticed that my head was on a swivel, absolutely enamored by all of the amazing cosplay units because they were doing the same thing. No one questioned my Blackness just because I purchased a cute anime license plate cover for my car. They were in line too. Even when I walked to my car at the end of each night, no strangers pointed or whispered. The crowd just hummed with the same excitement I felt for what we saw and hopedo see again. I didn’t feel like I needed to change anything about myself to fit in. I just automatically belonged in whatever way I arrived.
Artwork display at Dream Con 202; Houston Tx
The convention was packed to the brim with all maner of fans. Everyone seemed so happy to be a part of the event. Attendees ranged from every age, shape, size, skin tone, and gender. Friends and family members cosplayed characters together. Some joined in the fun by wearing their favorite anime, gaming, or comic related merchandise like I did. I had to know if this feeling was unique to me or if others had also experienced something similar. So I asked a few people how they feltl about the convention and if it is important to the Blerd community. The overwhelming response was without a doubt, “YES!” One gentleman said, “This convention gives us a home, a place of warmth free from judgement. It allows us to explore our creativity freely without the restrictions others place on us.” I could not have worded it better. And it is evident that RDCWorld, the founders of Dream Con, understood this need deeply as they planned the convention.
Dream Con, +Dream Con 2024 Official Recap Video
There was a lively mix of panels and activities that ranged from fun and entertaining themes such as live manga readings and Q&A sessions with authors like LA West to topics impacting Blerd professionals like Martian Blueberry’s “Breaking Boundaries in Animation: A Conversation with Martian Blueberry.” Each day presented opportunities to engage in a variety of activities, no matter your interest. There were tabletop games, video game tournaments with amazing cash prizes, volleyball and other sports events that attendees could sign up for, anime and gaming meetups, and even K-pop activities like “From Seoul to Shonen: The Ultimate K-Drama & Anime Showdown” and a K-pop random dance. I also cannot forget to mention the plethora of stars that dropped in to share in the fun including Megan Thee Stallion, Tony Weaver, Jr, and Carl Jones .
There were so many activities and panels that specifically celebrated, supported, and encouraged Blackness and nerdom in a positive way, that it was practically impossible to walk out without a change of attitude. Do most conventions have great content and activities? Yes (well, at least the ones I have attended). But I have never felt a connection to other attendees like I felt at Dream Con. I have never felt seen or even welcomed quite the same. I encourage everyone to experience Dream Con or one similar in the future. Particularly other Blerds that are struggling with community or personal acceptance. While the event is obviously meant to be fun, it unquestionably delivers on building the community through education, acceptance and respect. It’s an event that can heal your inner child while enjoying what you love.
Dream Con 2025 Attendees participating in painting a custom art piece, Houston, Tx
By the way, here are some of the amazing panels and activities I dropped in on. This is just a drop in the bucket. I also spent a lot of time connecting with colleagues and making new friends. I encourage you to check out Dream Con’s website to learn more about this year’s event. You won’t want to miss next year!
- POWER AND CREATIVITY: Building Brand That Moves Culture with Megan Thee Stallion
- Black People Know Things Trivia
- Black in Tech
- Who Wants to be a K-pop Millionaire
- Cosplay Contest
- Xbox Takeover Panel
- Gaming Arena (I played virtual and arcade games)
- Writer’s Block: Novel, Poets, Screenwriters and More Mixer (speaker: Tony Weaver Jr)
CoolHappyTash
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